Don Samarasinghe

Background

About Don Samarasinghe

I am a highly enthusiastic research and education professional with a passion for developing and unleashing the potential of tertiary students. I have a strong background in the development and delivery of quality technical learning for a range of tertiary institutions in New Zealand. My teaching philosophy is driven by Experiential Learning, where students learn through reflection on doing. I have extensive experience in curriculum design, delivery, assessment and moderation in the New Zealand tertiary education sector. This includes developing qualifications such as Bachelor of Construction, Graduate Diploma/Master of Professional Practice in Construction Management. I teach (both face-to-face and online) papers such as Construction Technology, Building Materials, Building Services (HVAC, Water Supply, Drainage, Fire Safety, Electrical and Telecommunication), Quality Assurance and Site Safety, Construction Innovation, Design Buildability & BIM, and Research Project. I effectively engage with the industry by conducting construction site visits, participating in industry workshops, and participating in the activities oraganised by industry bodies such as NZIOB, CIOB, ENZ, PMI, EBANZ, EBAA and NZGBC. I am a high performing team member who conducts collaborative research projects that connect to the community and the construction industry. I recently developed a VR-based sustainable building model with IT and Management colleagues, and the project outcomes were published by and Springer Link. I have written widely on construction technology (innovative digital technologies, HVAC, BIM and VR), construction supply chain management, and experiential learning in construction education. I have several experience of applying for external research funding (e.g. a CoRE research project proposal and a Marsden Fund proposal led by Massey University). My current postgraduate supervision projects include addressing skill shortages in prefabrication and design changes in EPC projects in NZ.